The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has announced the reduction of land allocated to the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) from 11,000 hectares to 4,000 hectares, citing unauthorized land acquisition by the institution.
Wike made this disclosure on Monday, June 30, 2025, during the commissioning of the access road to the permanent site of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Academy, alongside other roads in the Giri District of Abuja. The commissioning was done by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.
Previously occupying 11,824 hectares, UniAbuja was ranked Nigeria’s third-largest university by landmass, after the University of Ilorin (15,000 hectares) and Obafemi Awolowo University (13,000 hectares). With the new reduction, it now ranks eighth, behind the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), which holds 4,048 hectares.
Wike criticized the university for allegedly fencing off large areas of land without proper documentation, accusing it of overreaching and potentially selling off parts of government land.
“This road has helped us stop the land grabbing by the University. They just went ahead to grab 11,000 hectares with no documents, fencing everywhere, and before you know it, our land would be gone,” he said.
He added that the FCT Administration has directed the Director of Lands and relevant agencies to officially allocate only 4,000 hectares to the university, with the remaining land to be reassigned for other institutional developments.
“We can’t continue like this. We have to follow due process. The university will get 4,000 hectares, and the rest will be properly reallocated,” Wike emphasized.
The minister also hinted at plans to partner with the National Assembly to establish new institutions within the district, assuring that the FCTA would facilitate land allocation to support such initiatives.
Following the completion of the access road, the EFCC Academy is now set to begin full operations. According to Wike, the improved road network will ease equipment mobilization and accelerate development in the area.
“Now that the road is done, they can move in their equipment and commence work immediately. This will also encourage others to develop their allocated plots,” he noted.
Wike acknowledged that lack of infrastructure has hindered land development in many parts of the FCT. He pledged to address this by providing essential amenities such as roads, water, and electricity to attract investment and enhance the district’s livability.
“One major reason people don’t develop allocated lands is the absence of infrastructure. We are committed to ensuring basic facilities are provided to encourage development,” the minister said.
